Fruitcake

Rose Marie Fontes Alfonso, Class of 1963

• 4 jars fruitcake mix (1 lb each)
• 2 large boxes raisins, seedless
• 2 large boxes pitted dates, diced
• 2 large cans walnuts, chopped
• 1 cup honey
• 2 boxes dark brown sugar
• 5 cups flour
• 1 cup apricot brandy
• 2 lb Holiday margarine
• 1 large bottle orange marmalade
• 1 large + 2 small bottles red cherries
• 16 large eggs

Mix all the fruit together with the 1 cup honey, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 cup brandy, 1 tsp mace, 1 tsp cloves. Let stand overnight or at least 3 hours. Cream together in a large bowl eggs, sugar and butter. Add this to the fruits, adding the nuts last with 1 tsp soda and the flour (don’t sift the flour). Grease and line pans with waxed paper. Cook for 3-3½ hours at low heat, 300 degrees.

Yield: About 15 loaf-size pans